Pressroom Consumables
Welcome to Thunderbolt's Pressroom Consumables page, where we offer a comprehensive range of essential products to optimise your printing process. Explore our selection of water-based and UV coatings from Weilburger, designed to enhance the durability and finish of your prints. Additionally, discover Vulcan printing blankets tailored for various press types and applications, alongside a lineup of high-quality pressroom chemicals sourced from DruckChemie to ensure smooth and efficient printing operations.​
Water-Based and UV Coatings
For the past 18 years, Thunderbolt Solutions has supplied the highest quality, environmentally friendly, food-safe, water-based coatings and UV lacquers to the printing industry in Southern Africa.
Our partner, Weilburger Graphics (based in Gerhardshofen, Germany) supplies the print industry with a broad spectrum of coatings ranging from matt and gloss water-based coatings to top-of-the-range oil and water-resistant barrier coatings, textured varnishes and ultra high-gloss lacquers that the market demands.
Water-based Coatings
SENOLITH® Water-based Matt - 20 F 1210
This ultra-matt water-based coating is perfectly suited to the coating of paper and cardboard as well as labels and various pre-treated plastic films like PE and PP
Key Benefits:
- Ammonia free so perfect for odour-sensitive packaging
- Extreme wet-blocking resistance
- Food-safe certified
- Highly rub resistant
- Very high matt degree
- Great adhesion on non-absorbent substrates
SENOLITH® Water-based Semi Matt - 20 F 1220
Our semi-matt water-based coating is well suited to the coating of paper and cardboard. It is particularly well suited to older two-roller coating systems.
Key Benefits:
- Good degree of matte
- Good rub resistance
- Perfect for wet on wet or wet on dry processing
- Food-safe certified
SENOLITH® Water-based Gloss - 60F 8001
This standard gloss water-based coating is well suited to the coating of paper and cardboard stocks. It is a double sided coating.
Key Benefits:
- Good gloss
- Food safe certified
- Good scuff resistance
- Low odour after drying
- Suitable for double-sided coating
- Very fast drying
SENOLITH® Water-based High Gloss - 80 F 1200
This high gloss water-based coating is perfectly suited to application on both paper and cardboard and can be applied via all common coating facilities including offset, flexo and offline coating machines.
Key Benefits:
- Very high gloss
- Extreme scuff resistance
- Food-safe certified
- Perfect for wet on wet or wet on dry applications
- Low odour after drying
SENOLITH® Water-based Gloss Primer - 60 F 2000
Our gloss primer is perfectly suited for subsequent finishing with offline UV varnishing on paper and cardboard.
Key Benefits:
- Great adhesion on non-absorbent stocks and when special inks have been used
- Low odour after drying
- Well suited to odour-sensitive packaging
- Quick drying
SENOLITH® Water-based Matt Primer - 20 F 2000
This water-based matt primer is perfectly suited for subsequent finishing with offline UV varnishing on paper and cardboard.
Key Benefits:
- Great adhesion on non-absorbent stocks and when special inks have been used
- Low odour after drying
- Well suited to odour-sensitive packaging
- Quick drying
SENOLITH® Water-based barrier Coating - 60 F 3000
Our barrier coating is particularly well suited to increase the fat resistance or water vapour resistance of cardboard packaging once applied correctly. Approximately 10 – 20 grams per square meter wet weight application is required to form a functional barrier.
Key Benefits:
- Excellent water vapour impermeability on suitable substrates
- Good fat/oil barrier
- Good water barrier
- Cobb60 value dependent on paper/cardboard: 10 – 60 g/m2
UV Coatings
360065 - Gloss UV Lacquer
This is a UV curing lacquer with a very good gloss factor and is suitable for the coating of paper, cardboards for packaging as well as Corona treated PE and PP films.
Key Benefits:
- Excellent gloss
- Great flow capacity
- Transparent varnish film
- Suitable for food packaging once a functional barrier has been established
360080 - Stampable and Foilable UV Gloss Lacquer
This is our UV Lacquer that is suitable for coating paper and cardboards for packaging.
Key Benefits:
- Very high gloss
- Suited for embossing
- Suited for foiling with appropriate foils
- Suited for glueing with appropriate glues
360053 - High Gloss Hybrid UV Lacquer
Suitable for creating textured finishes.
This UV Varnish is suitable for varnishing of coated papers and cardboard and is perfectly suited for creating textured finishes when used in conjunction with our Matt offset oil based varnish 26 O 7510.
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Key Benefits:
- Very high gloss
- Hybrid effect varnish
- Suitable for embossing, foiling and glueing with appropriate foils and glues
360425 - UV Gloss Lacquer
Non-direct-contact food safe certified.
Perfectly suited for varnishing of coated paper, cardboard for packaging and is a low migration, non direct contact food safe UV Lacquer.
Key Benefits:
- Suited for food packaging
- Low odour
- Very good gloss
- Good gluability, good stampability and good flow
360426 - UV Matt Lacquer
Low migration properties and non-direct food safe certified
Key Benefits:
- Good matt effect
- Low odour
- Suitable for inline varnishing on double coating machines
- Use in conjunction with inline WB primer
Printing Blankets
Discover Vulcan®, the pinnacle of excellence in offset printing and packaging, now proudly part of the Continental Printing Technology portfolio. Renowned for its premium quality and exceptional performance, Vulcan® offers a comprehensive range of offset printing blankets tailored to meet the diverse needs of printers across various applications. Whether for commercial, packaging, metal, plastic, or newspaper printing, Vulcan® blankets are meticulously engineered to deliver unparallelled results. With Vulcan®, printers can achieve the utmost professionalism and quality with every use, ensuring consistent and flawless printing outcomes. Explore our complete range of Vulcan® styles to elevate your printing experience to new heights of excellence.
Vulcan Zenith
The Vulcan Zenith is our go-to blanket for sheetfed commercial and packaging printing. The blanket features a hybrid top compound that is suitable for both conventional and UV inks. Our large customer base reports very good halftone reproduction and excellent paper smash resistance from the Zenith. The blanket is available in 3-ply, 1,95mm thickness.
Key Benefits:
- Suitable for both conventional and UV ink
- Increased blanket lifetime
- Reduced downtime due to less blanket changes
Vulcan 714 Master
The Vulcan 714 Master is an old favourite with many printers. This blanket is suitable for Commercial sheetfed printing as well as Coldset newspaper printing. The positive feed characteristic of the 714 Master ensures an even tension of the newspaper web on the press and this minimises web breaks. The 714 Master offers high print quality and a long blanket lifetime. It is available in 3-ply and 4-ply in 1,70 and 1,95mm thicknesses.
Key Benefits:
- Long blanket lifetime
- High print quality
- Calibrated thickness
Vulcan 714 Strip
The Vulcan 714 Strip is specifically designed for strippable coating applications and it offers a smooth coating lay down. The special compressible layer allows for easy stripping off of the top compound. This fabric-backed blanket is available in 4-ply 1,95mm thickness.
Key Benefits:
- Specifically designed for strippable and varnishing applications
- Smooth varnish laydown
- Easy to strip due to the special compressible layer
Vulcan Royal Web
The Vulcan Royal Web is Trelleborg’s most popular Coldset newspaper printing blanket on offer. It is available in 4-ply and 1,95mm thicknesses. The slightly positive feeding characteristic is what many newspaper printers want and need. The blanket offers high resistance to mechanical wear and the 4-ply composition allows for a very high dimensional stability which is a requirement, especially for the bigger newspaper presses.
Key Benefits:
- Higher scrolling resistance
- Higher mechanical resistance
- Slightly positive paper feed
Vulcan Mytho Evo
The Vulcan Mytho Evo is a new generation, neutral feeding Commercial headset printing blanket specifically designed with the Feed-0 technology. It is a top performer on wider web presses and the top compound offers superior paper release qualities which means less piling on the blankets. As a result, the print quality is enhanced and fewer blanket washes are required thereby reducing waste. The Mytho Evo is available in 3-ply 1,70mm thicknesses.
Key Benefits:
- Optimum paper feed tension
- Reduced risks of paper breaks
- Easier control of colour register during the start-up
Vulcan X-Coat
The Vulcan X-Coat stripping blanket has a 0,3mm thick polyester back and has no fabric in its carcass. The polyester layer offers excellent stability and reports from our customers confirm that they have no distortion from front to back and that they are able to re-use the Vulcan X-Coat blankets multiple times for reprints. The top compound is suitable for UV varnish as well as water-based applications. The special compressible layer allows for very easy stripping and fabric patterning is obviously nonexistent. The Vulcan X-Coat can easily be cut on CAD machinery. It is available in 1,15 – 1,35 and 1,95mm thicknesses. We can supply the 1,95mm with bars as well.
Key Benefits:
- Pre-Press
- Knock-out areas without strings
- Fast and accurate cad cutting
- Easy to strip with clear and visible cut lines
- Press Room
- No fabrics pattern
- Reduced back trapping
- Softer surface and reduced hardness
Vulcan Sunrise
The Vulcan Sunrise is specifically designed for the latest generation of H-UV LED UV and UV printing applications. It offers excellent halftone and solid reproduction quality. The top compound is particularly good at avoiding back trapping and is highly resistant to edge marking. Reports from our customers confirm the excellent smash resistance of the Sunrise. This blanket is available in 3-ply 1,95mm thickness.
Key Benefits:
- Specifically designed for the latest UV applications (LE/HUV, LED UV)
- Excellent printing quality (solids and half tone reproduction)
- Very good ink release
Rubber Rollers
Böttcher, a global leader in roller manufacturing, supplies original equipment rollers for sheetfed, newspaper, and heatset presses worldwide. With a top-notch roller recovery service, customers can maintain the highest standards for their equipment. Böttcher’s specialised compounds cater to modern inks, including UV and dual-purpose printing, offering exceptional performance and durability. They provide solutions for standard, alcohol-reduced, alcohol-free, and UV printing, along with a dedicated roller compound for vegetable oil-based inks.
Böttcher Rubber Rollers
Böttcher Rubber Rollers are crafted from superior rubber compounds, delivering outstanding print results and unmatched durability for leading sheet-fed and web presses. Renowned for their longer service life and minimal maintenance, these rollers maintain their shape and resist glazing, ensuring consistent performance and reducing downtime. Trusted by top press manufacturers, Böttcher rollers meet OEM specifications, providing precise and even ink transfer for optimal printing results.
Our range of Böttcher Rubber Rollers includes: Commercial Heatset, Coldset Newspaper, Commercial Sheetfed Offset and Conventional UV and Hybrid.
Key Benefits:
- Superior rubber compounds ensure excellent print quality and longevity.
- Longer service life reduces replacement frequency and overall costs.
- Maintains shape and resists glazing, minimising downtime and adjustments.
- Trusted by leading press manufacturers, meeting exact OEM specifications.
- Press-ready rollers come with new bearings for quick and accurate installation.
Pressroom Chemicals
DruckChemie is a world-leading supplier of Fogra-approved speciality pressroom chemicals and washes for heatset, coldset, and sheetfed applications. With subsidiaries across the globe, DruckChemie partners with top printing press to deliver high-quality chemicals, consumables, and services to the printing industry. Following its acquisition of BluePrint Products NV and HiTech Chemicals BV in December 2020, DruckChemie continues to be a modern and reliable partner, dedicated to supporting the printing and graphic industry with innovative solutions and exceptional service.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) 99% is essential in offset printing for its multifaceted roles, including reducing the surface tension of the dampening solution, acting as a coolant, and stabilising the ink-water balance. It enhances the wetting of rollers and printing plates, promoting a thin and even water film, and aids in producing clean, consistent print results. Despite its benefits, IPA introduces some challenges, such as contributing to global warming, being flammable, and being costly.
Key Benefits:
- Reduces surface tension for better wetting of rollers and printing plates.
- Acts as a coolant, removing heat from critical press components.
- Stabilises the ink-water balance for consistent and high-quality printing.
Sheetfed Washing Agents
DruckChemie’s Sheetfed Washing Agents are formulated to meet the demands of modern printing machinery, providing high dissolving power for efficient cleaning and maintenance of blankets and rollers. These detergents are rigorously tested to ensure high cleaning performance and low consumption, making them cost-effective for daily use. Certified by FOGRA and leading machine manufacturers, they guarantee perfect compatibility and superior printing results.
Key Benefits:
- High cleaning power with low consumption.
- Extensive certifications by FOGRA and machine manufacturers ensure compatibility.
- Proven effective through rigorous laboratory testing.
Sheetfed Fount Solutions
DruckChemie’s Sheetfed Fount Solutions are expertly formulated to optimise the printing process in today’s fast-paced, alcohol-free printing environments. These fountain solution additives are designed to work seamlessly with various print media, colours, and dampening unit types, ensuring a hassle-free printing experience. Certified and available in various quantities, our fount solutions guarantee consistent pH levels, high-quality standards, and minimal paper waste.
Key Benefits:
- Ensures consistent pH levels, preventing negative colour build-up and dot gain.
- Minimises corrosion of plates, blankets, and printing cylinders.
- Certified and available in diverse packaging options, from 10 kg canisters to 1,000 kg IBCs.
Anti-Set-Off Powders
Our Anti-Set-Off powders boast uniform particle sizes and spacing on the substrate, preventing sheets from laying down or folding in the delivery stack and facilitating smooth lamination or varnishing processes. Economical and with excellent flow characteristics, they ensure even distribution across the substrate, absorbing ink effectively to prevent lump formation. With hydrophobic and water-repellent properties, these powders are ideal for finishing prints with dispersion coatings, regardless of ink coverage or paper weight.
Key Benefits:
- Uniform particle sizes and spacing prevent sheet laydown or folding, ensuring smooth finishing processes.
- Economical usage with excellent flow characteristics for even distribution across the substrate.
- Hydrophobic and water-repellent properties make them ideal for finishing prints with dispersion coatings.